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Armor
While weapons are important, the right protection can be just as important. When your undead foes close the gap and make your high-powered rifle impractical to use, or when they get the jump on you, you will be thanking your lucky stars you brought along the right armor to protect from infection-spreading bites and scratches. This page will tell you everything you need to know about what to wear - and what not to wear. Of course, you can use common sense and these simple general guidelines: *Does it cover all of the skin it can? *Is it durable? *Is it useful in the area I'm in?( Like using snow pants in the Sahara) *Is it baggy, loose, or heavy? *Can I carry things in it reasonably well? *If it's a kind of armor, will it stop bites, knives, blunt instruments, etc. without compromising movement? *Does it obstruct my movements or my senses? Ordinary Clothing It's likely that, when Z-Day comes, most people won't have access to anything resembling tactical military gear. All they have is what's in their closets. Therefore, it's important to go over what clothing will be good to wear in a zombie apocalypse. Shirts Thin shirts, be they cheap T-shirts from a Chinese sweatshop or hand-woven woolen sweaters, provide almost no protection from bite wounds. Zombie teeth can easily tear through the fabric holding them together. Therefore, the type of shirt you should pick out depends on what your local climate is like. If you live in a colder area, long sleeves are a must, and if it gets particularly cold, wear layers. Warmer areas, meanwhile, call for short-sleeve shirts and tank tops. Either way, make sure your shirt, like all your clothing, is nice and snug - a zombie will have an easier time grabbing hold of loose clothing. If you are a woman, however, don't wear anything too revealing - this might invite trouble from bandits. Jackets Your jacket will be your real upper-body protection. The two best choices available to most people are jackets made of leather or canvas, as both materials are fairly resistant against zombie bites. What you choose depends on the climate. If you live in a cool, wet area, or if you're riding a motorcycle, go with leather, as it more easily resists the rain and the effects of road rash. Warmer, drier areas call for canvas, due to the fact that it breathes more easily than leather. If you live in a particularly cold area, you might want to keep a ski jacket handy. The thick lining can easily stop a zombie from biting your arm off, and it will keep you warm during the tough winter months. Another good choice is a synthetic fabric such as Cordua and its generic counterparts. These materials breathe well, are extremely tough and are readily available in the form of motorcycle touring jackets. Either way, it's important to make sure that what you're wearing is thick enough to resist zombie bites. If the jacket in question is from the boutique or the mall, or if it has a "Made in China" tag on it (a rule that applies to everything, not just clothing), then chances are it's meant primarily as a fashion item, as opposed to something that will protect the wearer. Outdoors stores, military surplus stores, and other such places sell high-quality leather and canvas, so look there. But remember to zip or button it or zombies might grab it and your doomed. Trench coats It's been argued as to whether or not a trench coat provides suitable zombie protection. Supporters point to the fact that items can be carried within the coat, and that it protects the wearer from getting wet when sitting down. Its detractors point out that a zombie can grab hold of the loose bottom part of the coat. Take both arguments as you will. If you do use a trench coat, however, make sure it's made from a tough canvas, and is not a "fashion" trench coat made from soft leather or similar materials. Also, make sure to keep the coat tightly closed so that a Zombie will have a harder time grabbing it (this applies to all long jackets, by the way). Pants Long pants are a must - shorts expose too much leg to a zombie bite. Again, make sure they're snug. Out of the more common types of leggings, the most ideal would be a simple pair of blue jeans. These pants were invented for mining work, and are the best at stopping a zombie bite, though they are heavy and absorb and retain water easily, due to their cotton construction. They also offer little useful heat retention and expulsion. Cargo pants are also a good option. Although the pockets can be grabbed by a zombie, they can also hold valuable items. As with jackets, make sure you're getting a rugged pair of pants, and not a pair that's meant to make the wearer look good. Nothing with holes in it. Also, make sure your pants fit tightly, to prevent the likelihood of a zombie grabbing them. The best pairs snug the legs, but are not skin-tight. For fantastic protection, put these on in this order: 1. Long underwear. Make sure they reach to, the very least, the knee. Remove if in warm weather, you will waste body water supplies through needless sweating. 2. Rugged jeans or better, military tactical pants. 3. Padded athletic pants, or knee pads with shin guards. With these, you may be a little warm, but you will be protected. It may not protect from too many bites, so don't put these on and think your invincible. Skirts Long skirts inhibit movement, while shorter skirts leave too much leg exposed for a bite (and may invite some unwanted attention). Try to avoid these. Footwear You'll be doing a lot of walking through rough terrain during the zombie apocalypse, so it's important to pick out some footwear that can stand up to it. The best footwear solution would be a nice pair of boots. It doesn't matter if they're work boots, hiking boots, or Doc Martens, as long as they're nice and tough. Another great choice of boot is steel toe boots. They may weigh you down a little, but could be used as a fantastic last resort weapon. If you don't have a pair of boots lying around, then sneakers may make for a good short-term solution. Leave the loafers and dress shoes at home - they'll fall apart in no time. See also Footwear Gloves It's important to keep your hands protected from both the elements and from bites. Therefore, it would be a smart idea to pick out a pair of gloves that offer quality protection, while still allowing you to move your fingers. Work gloves do this job nicely, although some other types of gloves can do the trick. Just remember that your gloves have to completely cover your hands. Fingerless gloves may look cool now, but not when you're missing three fingers. Also, there is a cool type of weighted glove thats filled with lead pellets. They're a little cumbersome, but they pack a wallop when you punch. A few blows to the face will make them swallow their own forehead. Jewelry Take it off. All it does is present something for a zombie to grab or a vain bandit to rob you for. If it's something that you can't part with (like a locket with a picture of a loved one, or a religious item), then keep it in your pocket or under your shirt. The only exception is watches - it's important to keep track of time, for both tactical purposes and to keep from going insane. Even then, make sure it's something tough, like a G-Shock or a Rolex, rather than something you bought for ten bucks at the mall. Another great choice is a waterproof watch, just in case you have to swim. Hats and helmets Keep your head covered with something. In warm weather, it will keep you cool by allowing sweat to build up under there (the principle behind turbans), while in cold weather, it will keep you warm by stopping heat loss (remember that most body heat leaves through your head). Your choice of protection depends on what you're looking for. A brimmed hat (like a baseball cap, a cowboy hat, or a fedora) will help keep the sun out of your eyes, while a bicycle or motorcycle helmet will protect your head if something falls on it. Another good choice is a paint ball mask to protect against blood splatter from a melee weapon. It is also advisable to have access to medical safety masks and safety goggles, to protect from blood splatter, as well as any other potentially harmful chemical or biological hazards one might come across. Preferably, make sure your headgear covers your entire head, while protecting but not inhibiting your nose, eyes, ears and mouth. The eyes and the ears, as the tools of your two main senses, will be especially important. Discount anything that screws with these. Belts Always have one with you. You can use it as a tourniquet to stop bleeding, for tying down baggy clothing, for holding your gun, and most importantly, for holding your pants up. Make sure it isn't a designer belt, try to get a solid leather, synthetic, tough fiber, or canvas belt. Studs may help, but make sure they aren't able to catch on things easily. Don't have gaudy belt buckles, but a good heavy metal one (the style that most belts come it, just a simple hollow rectangle) will be excellent. In a pinch, these can also be used as makeshift flails or whips, but remember that those are difficult to wield, so it's best to use it as a slapping weapon, folded once, against bandits or human hostiles. Jock Strap/Athletic Supporter A "just in case" type of armor. Generally useless in the zombie world because of a lack of protection capability from bullets and that when you're up close and personal, zombies will not recognize that a man's greatest weakness is a kick to the crotch. It is still worth having because why should you be slowed down by an accident involving that area? Police and military equipment The following covers the types of protection available to police and military forces. If you want access to this equipment, you may have to seek it out before Z-Day, as it will be nearly impossible to find when the zombie apocalypse is in full swing. Boonie Suit/Survival Suit Survival suits, also known as boonie suits, are types of suits designed for overall speed, agility, comfort, and protection with as many assests a possible and as little drawbacks as possible. A boonie suit consists of long underwear and a black t-shirt for starters. A pair of foliage green camo print style pants are also included, which are designed to be temperate, but watertight, and give the wearer the maximum amount of agility without getting too hot, stiff, or muggy. The boonie pants are weaved from integrated microcarbons that allow air mollecules through, but acts as a one way to water. Pockets include two cargo holds on the side which are sealed for item preservation, two sealed back pockets and two sealed front pockets. They are also soft and comfortable. A pair of steel toed hiking boots of a beige color is included, which you attatch the boonie pants to via zipper and water seal. Like the boonie pants, the boots are watertight, allowing for wading in water up to below one's waist. The boonie suit also includes a waterproof jacket identical in color to the pants. The jacket it easily zippered and buttoned down the fron and has a relatively snug fit. Pockets include sealed side pockets and two chest pockets as well as and arm cargo hold on each arm. It has a hood. Also, a boonie hat in its respective color is included complete with drawstrings and ventilation. Also, a black bald cap is included. Concealed Vests Concealed vests are worn primarily by law enforcement officers, and typically consist of a kevlar weave that is sometimes supplemented by metal or ceramic "trauma plates" that provide additional protection to the torso. These are not as heavy or protective as a tactical armor rig, and would not provide much protection against zombies, who are too stupid to wield firearms. These vests are intended to protect the wearer's center of mass against gunfire, but most zombies will typically attack everything BUT the chest, such as arms, legs and the head. If you're fighting against Bandits or - as unlikely as it may be - armed zombies, remember that (depending on the model) your vest may only protect you against several gunshots. Also, when a bullet impacts soft armor, it often causes blunt trauma injury to the tissue beneath as the vest transfers the energy of the gunshot to the wearer. It must also be remembered that most lighter vests are incapable of stopping high-powered rounds, point-blank shotgun blasts, and rifle fire, as well as knives and other sharp implements. Ballistic Vests and Plate Carriers Ballistic vests are standard issue for all US troops. They come in several forms and different camouflage patterns. All ballistic vests in use by the US military employ an outer shell enclosing wrap-around Kevlar panels that are capable of stopping pistol and shotgun fire. Each model in current use also has front, back, and side pouches that allow the insertion of ceramic trauma plates that will provide protection against rifle fire. Integral to the vests are yoke and collar assemblies that provide protection to the neck and throat. Numerous accessory pieces are available for each system, including groin and lumbar protectors, ballistic "shorts" and "ape arm" pauldrons and upper arm guards, each of which provide additional ballistic protection to the wearer. Each system in use by the US military is covered with MOLLE webbing, enabling wearers to attach magazine, grenade, canteen, radio, and first aid pouches, as well as Camelbaks, quivers, sheathes, and weapon holsters. If worn in concert with a thick battle dress utility uniform, balaclava, ballistic helmet, knee pads, elbow pads, combat boots, and kevlar gloves, a wearer will be afforded considerable protection against not only the living dead, but any hostile survivors. The gear is a little heavy, but is easily adapted to, given regular wear and exercise. Plate carriers are similar to ballistic vests in that they are usually MOLLE-compatible, but they provide much less protection as they usually only cover the front and back of a wearer's torso, and rely solely on trauma plate inserts for ballistic protection (hence the term "plate-carrier"). They are, however, much lighter, and can provide suitable protection for comparably low-threat armed encounters, though ballistic head protection is still recommended. The only major downside to military-grade armor is its relative rarity. If a group of survivors were to take refuge in a military installation, then this gear might be accessable to them. Riot Gear Riot gear usually consists of a ballstic vest worn in conjunction with a padded or hard-shelled polymer overlayer, and corresponding pieces that cover the arms and legs of the wearer. It is usually worn in conjunction with a helmet with a durable visor, and a clear polymer riot shield. The nature of the material the armor is constructed from makes it difficult to bite, chew, or cut through, but its bulk and weight may make it difficult for an inexperienced wearer to move quickly or maneuver in tight quarters. This protective equipment would also be difficult to acquire, as it is usually only found in the inventories of law enforcement and military police agencies. Ghillie Suit A ghillie suit, or yowie suit, is designed to resemble heavy foliage. Typically, it is a net or cloth garment covered in loose strips of cloth or twine, sometimes made to look like leaves and twigs, and optionally augmented with scraps of foliage from the area. Snipers and hunters may wear a ghillie suit to blend into their surroundings and conceal themselves from enemies or targets. The suit gives the wearer's outline a three-dimensional breakup, rather than a linear one. When manufactured correctly, the suit will move in the wind in the same way as surrounding foliage. A good thing to have, along with a scent supressent, if you have to travel in the woods. If you're entering a building or an urban area, forget it though. The long strips of whatever hanging off will serve as handholds for the undead, and things to rustle, make noise, and catch on things. Use these only when sniping in a wilderness. They also will be made of incredibly durable fabric. Other clothing and armor These types of protection are not used by modern police and military forces, but they are fairly uncommon for civilians to come across. Like with the police and military gear, you may have to obtain this stuff before Z-Day. Zombie Suits Zombie suits are essentially suits that disguise you as a zombie. They are very grotesque, and beneath everything, a layer of breathable, bite-proof material is in order in case they discover you. You could probably raid a costume store for a scary looking body-suit, and raid a police or military warehouse for some armor. be sure to make your suit look as deteriorated as possible. Then put ragged and filthy jeans on, possily stained with red dye, and a snug, torn, long sleeved shirt. Also have a jacket that looks good, but also it dirts and torn and also dyed red in areas. (Remember that a zombie was once a person, and that a person is expected to want to look good in life, so a zombie's clothing should be relatively stylish.) Try if at all possible to wear gloves. The next thing is scent. Be sure you smell fowl and disgusting--there are scents of sprays designed to do this--and you moan frequently, expelling bad breath, which shouldn't be hard to get. Also, try to move like a zombie--remember, your body is deteriorating. You don't nessesarily have to hunch, for this can hurt your back, but move in jerking, uneven motions, as if you don't have perfect control of your muscles. Also wear good walking boots, for zombies tend to walk long distances, and travel in groups. A major drawback to this type of disguise is that fellow survivors might attack you beleiving you're a real zombie. Motorcycle Gear Most high-speed motorcycles require their wearer to wear full-body jumpsuit-like outfits made of leather or synthetic materials and a thick protective helmet with visor. The main advantages of such an outfit are the fact that the suit is close to the skin, allowing the user to remain speedy, while offering moderate protection against Zombie bites. The helmet is thick enough to resist impacts at 60 MPH, and thus is quite suitable for resisting the teeth of angry Zombie. However, while it's closeness to the skin allows it's wearer to be more mobile, it also does not allow heat to easily escape the body. This can cause quick exhaustion and dehydration. The helmet only adds to these issues and also restricts the field of vision of the wearer. Amphisuits Amphisuits are essentially a mix between a wetsuit, a drysuit, and a tracksuit. It maintains the water proof qualities better than a rain coat, but is stiil breathable. It is skintight and actually accentuates parts of the body, mainly the curve of the back, the hips, and the breasts of a female occupant. Amphisuits cover you from the bottoms of your feet, ending in special socks that are covered with boots, and cover your arms up to your wrists, and your torso up to your neck. They are also padded for comfort, mainly in the neck, back, armpits and elbows, knees and feet, and have special pads for the groin and buttox, though for female variants, the pads go under the leg, whereas male variants tend to have extra padding near the groin. Amphisuits, as their name suggests allow for covert amphibious expeditions, as they are both watertight and temperate. They also have plates for protection on the spinal cord, collarbone, shoulder, elbows, breasts, crotch, knees, and buttox. The neck, shoulder, and arm plates also have buoyant qualities, allowing for effortless floating on liquids. Amphisuits however, require special undergarments as well. For females, a sports brassiere, undershirt, and a pair of briefs are provided. For males, an undershirt and pair of briefs are also provided. Also toe socks are provided to eliminate foot sores. Gun straps line the suit and two holsters are provided for handguns at each hip. Female variants have a strap around the leg at the mid thigh, for a more sexy prowess. Amphisuits also have a water-proof beanie with a light on it for hands free lighting and of course have straps leaving room for a backpack or such. Amphisuits however, are incredibly rare and will not be released to the public for quite some time. A major drawback to this suit however is it prevents diving, due to its buoyancy. However, its consistency makes it an exceptional choice as zombie armor, though it is suggested you wear a pair of gloves to go with it. Amphisuits come in multiple dark came colors as of now, though the exact shade is unknown. Also, the amphisuit zips down to the waste, and is from there peeled off from the body. Also, because it is form fitting, when undressing from it, it takes a while to free the arms and while it is easy to peel down to the knees, it takes a while to work its way around them. Also the boots that connect are black and come up in a from fitting hold to about the high mid thigh, around where the femal leg band is located. Chainmail Chainmail consists of iron or steel links connected to form a protective suit-like covering. Originally designed as far back as in the B.C. era to protect the wearer from slashing strikes, this form of armor lost favor with the advent of the firearm but is still used today to protect wearers against power-tools and wild animals. It has little effect on preventing crushing blows. Chainmail is extremely effective against Zombies, as most can not chew through the tough metal links that cover the skin and it is difficult for them to tear open or off. Most chainmail, while somewhat heavy, is lighter than either riot gear or full plate armor. However, there are detractions. If the links are loose, it will not only make noise but may also be easier for a ghoul to grab onto. This can be deterred by purchasing or making chainmail that is bound by rivets instead of pinch cut. Few people are capable of making high-quality armor today though rings can be both purchased or made with a jig. Also, chainmail can be pierced between the links by thin sharp objects like stilletos or shrapnel. As chainmail can pinch, one should always wear clothing beneath it. Chainmail gloves can sometimes be found in hardware stores, and some aquatic recreation stores may sell "shark-proof" full-body chainmail SCUBA suits. A great place to find a suit of it is in a butchery, where they're required to wear this in case the knife slips. Also, specialty companies sell battle grade chainmail items for reinactment purposes. Scalemail Armor Scalemail is much like chainmail and is constucted similarly except the weaving of small scale-like plates into it. Adding a minute amount of weight, the scales add to the efficiency of plain chainmail by taking away the largest disadvantage of chainmail: the holes in the rings. This makes is nearly impossible to penitrate with thin sharp objects like shrapnel or stilletos. It also boasts having the same manuverability bonuses as chainmail. However, like chainmail, there are some detractions. The scales can make noise when moving which, again, could be a deal breaker for the armor. While the scales could probably be grabbed onto, pulling off a scale would not permanantly damage the chainmail underneath or expose you to any more harm than if you were wearing chainmail as often the scales will break off before the chainmail will break, especially if it is rivited chainmail. Scales can be made with a metal punch or purchased from specialty groups. Some have even made scalemail using soda tabs, though these are not as durable and have holes. Like chainmail, it can also pinch so do wear something below it. Platedmail Armor Also known as splintedmail armor, this was orgionally used by those in the middle east and asia. Like chainmail, it is manuverable and light, though a little heavier. It contains strips of metal woven over chainmail. This detracts very little from manuverablity. The plates do not cover all of the shirt, however, and mainly covers the chest and back. Again, there are disadvantages to this type of armor. The same noise issue as pointed out about chainmail still applies though platedmail is less noisy as the free-hanging scales on scalemail. Generally, the plates are woven down into the chainmail below but if not made where it is woven on the top and bottom of the plates beyond just the sides, the bottoms and tops can be grabbed or hooked onto. Also, it is more difficult to find this kind of armor as it is not found widely for sale even within the reinactment subculture. This kind of armor would have to most probably be made by the wearer which requires skill, resources, time, and tools someone might not have in such an event. Makeing chainmail of any kind is tedious, especially the most efficiant riveted kind. However, this armor, if skill and material is already present, could be most benificial. Like chainmail and scalemail, it can also pinch so be sure to wear something under it. Lamellar Armor Lamellar armor, another armor from ancient times, is much like platedmail but instead of being connected by metal rings, it is woven together overlapping the small plates called lames. This kind of armor was found mostly in asia. Lames can be made from rawhide, metal, or plastic. (See Home Made Armor for plastic) Lamellar, if made from metal, can make some noise and metal quickly wears the chording holding it together. Metal will need restrung fairly often making it nearly inefficient unless using something very durable such as military grade parachute chording to hold it together. Otherwise, as it implies, weaving the lames together takes some time and may not be worth it for metal. Much ligher is rawhide lamellar. Rawhide, which is hardened leather, will not wear through chording nearly as often. While it obviously will not stop some things that metal will, it's hard thick overlapped construction only makes it slightly less effient than metal while being much lighter. The problem with leather is that if not treated properly when made or if not taken care of, the leather can rot. An additional benifit of lamellar armor is that, like many asians knew in the middle ages, it can be made with a silk layer beneath. Silk, as soft and flimsy as it seems, is actually very hard to penitrate. When added to lamellar, if an arrow were to piece the armor, the arrow would be wrapped up by the silk as it enters the body. This makes removing the arrow less damaging since the most damaging part of an arrow wound is removing it. Likewise, similar benifits can be had for things such as shrapnel. All armors are not perfect however and have disadvantages. A Lamellar armor is only as good as the chord that holds the lames together. If the chord breaks, it can unravel and come undone. Also known to those in the middle ages, the kind of lamellar pattern you use can have a dramatic effect on its effectiveness. There are two overlapping patterns: the kind used by cavalry and the kind used by those on foot. Which kind you use should depend on if you plan on riding a steed, motorcycle, etc or if you plan on being on your feet for most attacks. The cavalry overlapping pattern makes it so that each lame overlaps the lame above it. This effectively causes hits to slide off the armor in an upward manner. The overlapping pattern for those on foot is just the opposite making the blows fall downward. This is critical to know as if a blow goes against the overlapping pattern, it will catch on the armor. Lamellar might also be easier to grab and claw onto than chainmail depending on the pattern. Full Plate Armor Due to full plate armor's reknown weight (often more than 40 pounds), there is a misconception that it's gerth is stifling and oppresive. In actuality, the weight was distributed over the whole body, and designed to contour to the wearer. It was easier to move in than chain mail due to is being supported by the part of the body it protected. Full plate armor offers considerable protection from the undead. However it is unlikely you'll find a full suit of plate armor as well made as they were back in the 16-1800's. They are difficult to make, and rquire maintenance (especially old ones) to be battle fit. All in all if you find one during the apocalypse take it, if you find one for sale tomorrow don't there are far more cheaper forms of protection out there around 20 lbs and a tenth as attention getting. Pressurized Diving Suit Designed for repair work at extreme underwater depths, the pressurized diving suit is its own self-contained personal environment. With a large battery, lights, a temperature control gauge, an air filter, communications uplinks, and mechanical grasping claws, it is arugably the best type of personal protection from Zombie while underwater. The outer casing is designed to withstand the crushing pressure on the ocean depths, which means no ghoul (or group of zombies) will ever have the strength to bite through it, and it's servo-powered claws are more than powerful enough to crush a zombie's skull like a grape! Unfortunately its bulkiness means that it's only practical to use underwater, and even then it's better to work with someone on the surface manning an attached tether line. Although they won't break in, several zombies will still be able to hold you down and render you unable to escape on your own, though the power supply will likely last long enough for someone on your team to come rescue you. You may want to get a close-range sonar upgrade, because once you crack the first few zombie's heads, the water will be far to clouded with brains and organic matter to see anything that isn't pressing right against your viewport. PVC Relatively easy to make: just get some PVC about an inch thick (available for retail in all good DIY stores), mold it into bodyform shape and punch some holes in it for straps so you can attach it to yourself, and you're all set. Other sources could also be thick plastic barrels used by the food, chemical, and farming industries. Make sure to thoroughly wash all chemicals from said barrels if you use one. A heat gun or torch can help shape the PVC around your body. There are numerous patterns online available for plate, strip scale, and lamellar armor, especially within the Society for Creative Anachronism subculture where these are used in battle reinactments. Alternately, and by taking more time, by cutting the plastic into regular plates and threading them with nylon rope they can be made into a suit of Lamellar armour; more flexible and still proof against the same dangers but can less sturdy against a determined assailant without good construction. Even better than nylon rope is parachute chording. Plastic lamellar lames can be purchased as well if you don't want to take the time to drill every lame. Make sure you study the pattern before lacing as lacing wrong can affect the movement, safety, and durability of lamellar. Chord and rope will wear eventually so make sure you keep extra to restring occasionally. Carpet Very common and relatively easy to work, carpet armor can be very protective. Plastic Buckets Five gallon buckets are similar to pvc pipe, but have a much larger circumference and consequently can be easier to work and maintain. Category:armor